Staying Ahead of the Game

Dawn and I just got back from
Philadelphia where we attended the second Infopreneur Think Tank
brilliantly facilitated by my friend Sterling Valentine. We spent three
days understanding better where we were in our respective businesses,
determining where we want to go and brainstorming the best ways for us
to get there.

We met new friends, reconnected with old
ones and formed some new and powerful alliances. It was invaluable and
an extremely important part of our continuing education about our craft
and our industry.

Getting away with other people of like
mind and learning from each others' knowledge and experiences is one
of the best ways I know to stay ahead of a rapidly changing field.

The participants played full out, giving
their best counsel to others and listening carefully to the advice and
experience that was shared. There were experts for sure, but there were
no "gurus" in the room. To borrow an intranet term, it was a
"peer-to-peer network."

The daytime sessions were long, and we
stayed up late talking shop and having fun (see the pics). We came home
tired, invigorated, clearer and more motivated than ever. As a result of
feedback we got, we shifted some projects, killed another and came up
with several more.

What about you? What do you do to
further your knowledge of your industry? What are you doing to improve
your skills and gain new knowledge? When was the last time you got away
from your business to work ON it instead of IN it?

Action Point
Only through this type of endeavor will you gain the clarity of deciding
where you want to go and develop the strategies to get there.

It's also important to get a clear
picture of where you are now in your career or business. One of the
tools that can really help you get a handle on where you truly are is our
"Benchmark" which is this week's featured Gold Mine Tool.

Take every opportunity you can to learn
from the experts, from your peers and from your trade associations about
best practices for your business.

Another process for taking your business
to the next level is to become part of the World Class Business Coaching
that will start in September. This is not for everyone, but if you're
really serious about building a business with a solid foundation—one
that will last 100 years or more—I recommend you consider World Class Business.

To find out more about the Infopreneur
Think Tank, click here.
Be sure to get on Sterling's
mailing list to stay abreast of upcoming events and resources.